Lee Co. ranks low for resident per capita spending

The Lee County Commission has released an annual report on the amount of the County's revenue spent per resident for primary services.

At first glance the numbers do not appear positive; however, this comparison is not a fair indicator of the financial health of the county.

"We usually show up around as the 66th county as far as a per person revenue basis. All that is, is taking the population and dividing your revenue by the population to give you a per person amount that you have to provide those services to the county," explains Lee County Administrator, Roger Rendleman.

The report ranks Lee County next to last out of Alabama's 67 counties with a per person revenue of $232.

These numbers identify the amount of resources a county commission has to provide for primary services like jails, roads and bridges.

"Most counties across the state, when it comes to the general fund and also the special revenue funds, we have the same type of stuff we are required by code to provide," says Rendleman.

Rendleman wants to reiterate that these numbers do not reflect where Lee County stands financially nor does it place a burden on tax payers.

When you look at total dollars, Lee County is 12th in total revenues while being 8th in population.

"I would like to think that if you took the tax burden on the citizens of the county, we definitely would rank a little higher than other counties because we do provide a lot more money to education."

(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File). FILE - In this May 22, 2018 file photo, actor Morgan Freeman attends the 2018 PEN Literary Gala in New York. Freeman is apologizing to anyone who may have felt “uncomfortable or disrespected” by his behavior....

Actor Morgan Freeman has apologized for making anyone feel uneasy, in the wake of a CNN report in which multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.More >>

Actor Morgan Freeman has apologized for making anyone feel uneasy, in the wake of a CNN report in which multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.More >>

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File). FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 12, 2016, file photo, San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid (35) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) kneel during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles...

With its popularity threatened and critics stretching all the way to the White House, the NFL tries to get past the debate over taking a knee during the national anthem but seems to muddle the issue even more.

With its popularity threatened and critics stretching all the way to the White House, the NFL tries to get past the debate over taking a knee during the national anthem but seems to muddle the issue even more.

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin). In this May 23, 2018, photo, President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Two House lawmakers who are allies of President Donald Tr...

A briefing Thursday about classified documents will be for just two Republican House members, both Trump allies, as Trump and his supporters in Congress press for information on the outside informant.